Tim Lincecum: Spotlight on San Francisco Giants starting pitcher

What’s up: Lincecum is a two-time National League Cy Young Award winner, but that was half a decade ago. His ERA has risen to a Rockies-like 4.64 and he’s no longer the ace of the Giants’ rotation. That torch has been passed to lefty Madison Bumgarner, who nearly no-hit the Rockies last week. Linceum is now a reliever.

Background: From 2012-14, the right-hander’s ERA has been 4.73, even though he works his home games at pitcher-comfy AT&T Park. His strikeout rate has fallen by more than two K’s per nine innings from his Cy Young Award years, and his velocity has dipped considerably. He went 1-2 with a 7.94 ERA in August, prompting veteran manager Bruce Bochy to relegate him to the bullpen and move Yusmeiro Petit into the rotation.

Saunders’ take: Watching Linceum pitch was always a treat — particularly at AT&T Park, where a seat in the press box allowed me to see the incredible movement on his pitches. He’s clearly on the downside of his career, but a move to the bullpen is a smart move by Bochy. It certainly worked in 2012, when Lincecum was moved to the bullpen for the playoffs and performed splendidly. In five relief appearances, Lincecum pitched 13 innings, allowing only one run on three hits while striking out 17 and walking just two. In Game 4 of the NLDS against Cincinnati, Lincecum pitched 4 ⅓ innings. In Game 1 of the World Series, he struck out five of the seven batters he faced in 2 ⅓ innings. If the Giants can hang on and make the playoffs, Linecum can be a valuable weapon for them.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.